The least costly material is laminate. They are easy to install as well as inexpensive, but they will show wear in the form of scratches and gouges relatively easily. But at that price, you can change them more often.

The good thing about laminates is the incredible variety in colors, textures and patterns. They are very low maintenance, just requiring a quick wipe with a soapy sponge. If the plywood underlayment is in good shape, you can replace a laminate counter top in a day (not counting scraping off the old glue).

The next lower priced option is tiles made of ceramic. Plain ones are only a couple of dollars a square foot, although you can get fancy and pay as much as $50. They are not difficult to install, but replacing one if it is scratched or cracked is not so easy. You have to scrape out hate grout and lift hate old tile.

The grout in tiles is another problem, since it can easily become dirty, and if you do not replace cracked tiles, they will attract more dirt, making the counter top look shabby.

If you do proper maintenance, tiles will last long and stay nice looking. They are very easy to wipe clean, do not scratch too easily and you can put hot items on them without a problem.

A new option for counter tops is concrete that has been specially styled for this use. This is the expensive option, but it is impervious to almost any danger once it has been sealed. It is heavy, difficult to install and needs time to dry thoroughly. This is definitely a job that professional installers have to perform.

Another option, though an expensive one, is stainless steel. Long a staple of professional kitchens, it is becoming popular in homes. It is easy to keep clean, but scratches and stains do show.

One of the most expensive options is marble. Marble is a luxurious material for any use, and will make your kitchen look like it belongs in a mansion. It should, at about $75 a square foot. It has to be resealed periodically since it can absorb dirt or become discolored if it is not. There are no duplicates in marble, each piece is unique to itself.

One of the most popular choices today for counter tops is granite. Even the cheapest style will cost at least $80 a square foot, but it is easy to clean, resistant to heat, scratches and stains. Granite also has to be installed by a professional, especially to properly manage the location of seams.

Another modern option, even though it is an old material, is stone, which can be a middle of the road choice in terms of price. Since the stone is actually engineered, any pattern can be made to look like the stone of your choice.

Engineered stone doesn't need to be sealed, resists heat, stain and scratches. Installation by a professional is recommended, but an experienced do it your selfer can probably handle it.

Whichever choice you make should be based on your use. If you live in an apartment that you are not going to be in forever, laminate is probably the best choice. But for a major investment in your home, you may want to invest in one of the longer lasting, higher priced options.